The present invention relates generally to one or more methods, compositions of matter, and or apparatuses useful in suppressing dust releases such as those from mineral supplement material.
Mineral supplements, like many hard crystalline materials tend to contain fines or to be friable and form fines, and these fines can be a dust releasing nuisance and therefore require dust control. These dust nuisances can create significant health, environmental, and safety problems.
Dust control methods are practiced in many industries handling such solids. For example, during the production of dry granular fertilizer certain mechanical conveyance steps may generate small particles of fertilizer that can be transported to undesirable locations by stray air currents. Worse, if the particle size is small enough the dust can remain suspended in the air for extended periods of time exacerbating these problems. As a result, a number of dust control technologies have been developed.
In addition, the properties and end uses of mineral supplement further complicate this situation. Because mineral supplements are directly applied in open environments to plant life and those plants in turn may be consumed by animals or humans, many effective dust control agents must also be non-toxic. Therefore, it is important that the environmental and dietary safety of additives should be considered. In addition dust control agents may not interact with the mineral supplement in any manner which would impair the benefit of the mineral supplement to the plant such as detrimentally changing pH or any other chemical property. Another category of chemicals used in dust control are asphaltenes or heavy petroleum based materials; unfortunately because they contain aromatics and because of other purity issues additives including them often pose health and environmental problems. Also many of these compositions can require cumbersome and dangerous heating systems just prior to their application.
As a result there is ongoing need and clear utility in a novel improved method and/or composition and/or apparatus for reducing dust release from mineral supplement. The art described in this section is not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is “Prior Art” with respect to this invention, unless specifically designated as such. In addition, this section should not be construed to mean that a search has been made or that no other pertinent information as defined in 37 CFR. §1.56(a) exists.